suntory time

Guess what? I'm in the heat of wrapping up the semester— final projects, final papers, final exams. And despite the fact that I got to take a fantastic trip Chicago just a few weeks ago and my suitcase is barely unpacked from Vermont, I'd love to just up-and-go.

In light of my current restlessness, I'd like to just deliver a little ode of honor to my favorite travel movie, Lost In Translation. Sofia Coppola perfectly conveys an often-ignored travel feeling of melancholy & numbness. When I'm on international trips, I find myself going numb, mentally, because of too much input:  the time change is so extreme, I've been in the air so long, & the new environment is so overwhelming. I love Bill Murray's character, but I relate more to Scarlett Johansson's. Even though she wants to be out exploring, she instead finds herself brooding about her relationship. She has this weird desire, after craving the adventure for so long, to just swim in the hotel pool. And even when she does venture out, it feels strangely incomplete. Japan has so much to offer, and in one day she sees one thing. I can totally relate to the introspection of being alone in a place where I can't speak the language. For some reason, this numbness is thrilling to my core.

Also, just so it's on the record— Who doesn't want to be as cool as Scarlett Johansson? 

Image courtesy of The Glamorous Grad Student

Image courtesy of Eyes of the Victor